Law & Society

Law and Society is a semester course dedicated to teaching an understanding of the American legal system.  The course teaches students about aspects of the law that they will need to know as teenagers and as they become adults.  Students will gain an understanding of the law through interactive methods that focus on legal issues relevant to students' lives.  

The course will emphasize analytical problem-solving skills, critical reading and writing skills, oral communication and listening abilities, general research skills, and mock trial and debate experience.  The course will address topics ranging from how laws are made and administered, to specific issues in criminal law, civil law, criminal procedure, juvenile justice, family law, Constitutional Law and the Bill of Rights, and relevant U.S. Supreme Court case law.  Students will develop critical thinking and analytical skills through legal writing and research, mock trials, interviews, debates, trial techniques, jury selection and service, and research papers.  

The goal of the course is to ensure that students have a thorough understanding of the law and its impact on their lives, to help them become informed citizens and active members of the community.

Textbook(s): Street Law by Glencoe/McGraw Hill and Street Law's Classroom Guide to Mock Trials and Moot Courts by Glencoe/McGraw Hill.

Prerequisites: (Required) one year of United States History, (Suggested) one semester of American Government

Instructor: Laurel Colborn